First time Saltwater-Stocking suggestions.

This is a discussion on First time Saltwater-Stocking suggestions. within the Saltwater Fish forums, part of the Saltwater Fish and Coral Reef Tanks category; -->
Hello FishForum. It's been a while...
I have recently decided to begin a saltwater setup..I have been a freshwater fan for practically the past ...

I have recently decided to begin a saltwater setup..I have been a freshwater fan for practically the past 18 years and decided it's time to step up.
I have a 29 gallon tank which currently is home to one Maroon Clown and a Turbo snail. I'm looking for suggestions of all kinds, compatible fish, inverts, corals and of course a decent cleaning crew. I understand I won't be able to house very many fish in here but I would love to have some nice looking and attractive fish.
Thanks for any help :-}

Steven, i will give you a very honest answer. We have similar years of experience in the hobby, but i have been keeping marine for about 14 years now. If this was a freshwater system, you currently would have a Pseudotropheus sp. in a 29 gallon aquarium and wonder what fish you can successfully add with it. Not an easy question to answer.

The Maroon Clown is an excellent beginner fish. Extremely durable, easy to feed, disease resistant, and forgiving of beginner mistakes. It is also one of the fastest and largest growing clownfish. It also becomes extremely territorial in a small aquarium. Normally, i would recommend this fish for a minimum of a 55 gallon aquarium and would suggest that you make it your last addition to the tank due to its territorial behaviors.

That being said, there are still some options for your setup. You should give consideration to an Arabian Dottyback, which are now sold as tank raised and are capable of holding their own. They are extremely easy to keep and reef safe. Beware... they eat shrimp.

You will also find the Pseudochromis sp. to be hardy and capable of holding their own. Look at the Purple or BiColor Pseudo, which are an excellent option and easier to keep than the Royal Gramma, a similar species.

I would also be comfortable with a Hawkfish, such as the Flame, Speckled, or Longnose. All of these stay under 6'' in length and are easy to keep.

And, if you want the very simple solution, you could just add a couple Damsels to the tank. Don't shy away from these guys. They are a lot of fun to keep, very attractive, and they won't die so long as you keep them wet. You may consider the Yellow Tail Damsel, which is slightly less aggressive. Slightly.

On a side note, are you using a Protein Skimmer? A lot of former FW hobbyists skip the skimmer, which is a recipe for disaster.